The design and development of new drug delivery systems with the intention of enhancing the efficacy of existing drugs is an ongoing process in the pharmaceutical industry. Several drugs demonstrate low bioavailability because of poor dissolution in physiological fluids as well as poor permeability. There are many types of drug delivery systems that have been developed to try to address this problem.
Candesartan cilexetil, is an example of a poorly soluble drug where the in vitro and in vivo dissolution strongly affects the efficacy. A classical approach to increase the solubility of poorly water-soluble drugs is micronisation of the drug by means of a mechanical manipulation (i.e. pulverizing the drug into particles of a few microns in diameter).
This approach is not appropriate for candesartan cilexetil, because any mechanical stress applied to the crystals of candesartan cilexetil leads to deterioration of the crystal structure and/or partial or complete (if mechanical stress is long enough) amorphisation, resulting in decreased stability. For example, when micronized candesartan cilexetil with d(0.9)=5 μm is subjected to 40° C. and 75% humidity for 1 month the impurities changed from 0.33% to 0.85%, compared to 0.19% and 0.10% for the unmicronised sample.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a drug delivery system which does not damage the crystal structure of the drug.
One approach is the use of emulsion and in particular microemulsion systems and self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems (SMEDDS). Such systems have potential because of their improved drug solubilization and are able to enhance the bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs through solubilization in the excipient matrix or interface and dispersion in the gastrointestinal tract.
However, there are several disadvantages of traditional emulsions, microemulsions and SMEDDS. One is their liquid or semi-liquid/semi-solid state. This presents difficulties in proper dosing for peroral administration.
SMEDDS form a microemulsion on addition of water, either during manufacturing of a pharmaceutical composition or by a medical professional or the patient prior to use, or in vivo. A further challenge for these systems is that it is difficult to precisely control the amount of water that is added to the SMEDDS, particularly when this happens in vivo. Therefore, there is a need for a SMEDDS that forms a microemulsion and remains as a microemulsion (rather than a emulsions which is less stable) on addition of any quantity of water.
The present invention aims to provide drug delivery systems which can advantageously be used to enhance the solubility of pharmaceutical ingredients, particularly poorly-soluble drugs where the dissolution strongly affects the efficacy. The aim is to provide drug delivery systems that include liquid based surfactant systems in the solid state form, prepared in the way that preserves all elementary benefits of the original liquid based surfactant systems, that is improvement of poor drug solubility.
It is believed that the aim thus achieved is also to provide drug delivery systems that are stable over a long period of time and on addition of any amount of water and are suitable for oral administration.